★★★★★ While some stories age inexorably, that of “Romeo and Juliet” remains astonishingly valid. Antagonism, hatred, a female protagonist strong enough to rebel against a cruel patriarchal society, are some of the threads that run through the piece. The only breath of fresh air is the full and passionate love of the leading couple, which will not be enough to overcome the last irony that fate has in store for them: dying seconds before the loved one comes back to life. Everything could be like this today, and not a few films continue to revive Juliet and her Romeo in the most disparate settings, which also happens in the world of ballet, with hundreds of versions in neoclassical and contemporary key.
A few days ago it was the thirty anniversary of the death of Kenneth MacMillan, the English choreographer who marked the ballet scene in his country with works such as “Cinderella”, “Anastasia”, “Manon”, “Mayerling”, among others. Since 1994, the Teatro Colón has had “Romeo and Juliet” in its repertoire, a masterful work where MacMillan admirably manages the dramatic timing, the group dynamics, the subtle glances, the comprimary characters, the atmospheres. Great figures of world ballet have left their mark here with his interpretations; the first dancers of the American Ballet Theater Isabella Boylston and Herman Cornejo have now joined that stellar list.
There are roles that can only be faced when the performer has reached a certain degree of artistic maturity; such is the case of Cornejo, who is in a moment of splendor in his career.
In the very important secondary roles, it was a pleasure to see again the soloists of the Stable Ballet who danced them the previous time the work was given, in 2018: Nahuel Prozzi as a powerful Teobaldo; Emanuel Abruzzo, mischievous and seductive Mercutio; Natalia Saraceno, with a strong mask for Lady Capulet; Norma Molina and her confident characterization of the Nurse; Igor Gopkalo as the ruthless Lord Capulet; and the carefree trio of prostitutes (Iara Fassi, Camila Bocca and Ayelén Sánchez).
An impeccable performance was given by the corps de ballet, with special brilliance in the fencing scenes. The Philharmonic did a decent job commanded by the Brazilian Carlos Prazeres; a particularly notable segment was the brief organ solo that precedes the balcony duet, conducted by Fernando Di Palma.
